Machine for operating on soles and shoes



Aug. 31, 1937. E. BROTHERS 2,091,351

' MACHINE FOR OPERATING ON SOLES AND SHOES Filed May s, 1936 Tigfl.

'lllll/llllll other.

Patented Aug. 31, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR OPERATING ON SOLES AND SHOES Application May 6, 1936, Serial No. 78,212

14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for operating on soles and shoes and is illustrated herein as embodied in a machine for relatively locating soles and shoes.

5 Objects of the invention are to provide improved means for positioning soles and shoes relatively to each other and to provide improved means for supporting the sole and shoe and for pressing them together when so positioned.

As illustrated herein, the machine is provided with a yieldable pad for receiving a sole and shoe and with means for engaging the sole and shoe as they are being mounted on the pad and for alining or positioning them relatively to each The positioning means, as herein illustrated, comprises a resilient flexible band, preferably of metal, arranged to rest edgewise on the pad and forming a U-shaped loop or curve into which the foreparts of the sole and shoe may be introduced. The band is fixed at the forward end of the pad and its opposite sides, which form the legs of the loop, are supported rearwardly of the pad by adjustable means which permits the size of the loop to be varied in accordance with the sizes of the shoes to be operated upon.

Since the band is flexible it will engage and conform to the contours of the foreparts of the sole and shoes as they are being moved into pressure receiving position on the pad and thus force these portions into proper alinement with each other before pressure is applied thereto.

The illustrated machine is also provided with improved means carried by the positioning means and adjustable relatively thereto for engaging and supporting the heel portions of a sole and shoe while the foreparts thereof are being relatively positioned by said positioning means on the pad and the machine is further provided with improved means for applying pressure to the foreparts of the sole and shoe to stick them together temporarily and thereby to cause them to maintain their relative positions until the sole is permanently attached to the shoe bottom, said means being constructed and arranged,

if desired, to continue the pressure on the sole and shoe until released by the operator.

With the above and other objects and features in view the invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the upper portion of the machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine partly in section and with a portion of the supporting column broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale taken on the line IIIIII of Fig, 1.

The machine comprises a base I and a supporting column i2 (Fig. 2) to the upper end of which is secured a plate 14. The plate is pro vided with two rectangular depressions l6, l3 (Fig. l) in which are mounted flexible pads 20, 22 preferably composed of relatively soft resilient material such as rubber and arranged respectively to receive right and left shoes which are to have their outsoles positioned relatively to the shoe bottoms and preliminarily attached thereto by cement. At its right-hand side, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, the plate I4 is provided with upstanding lugs 24, 26 which form bearings for shafts 28, 3i! located respectively opposite the pads 20, 22.

Secured to the shafts 28, 3B are inwardiy extending arms 32, 36 having pivoted on their inner ends shoe-engaging members 36 which are adapted to engage the foreparts of shoes mounted on the pads and to press the shoes and soles forcibly against the pads. On their inner or adjacent ends, as viewed in Fig, 1, the shafts 28 and 30 have pinned thereto inwardly extending arms 38 and 40 which are connected, respectively, by rods 42, 44 to treadles 46, 48 pivoted on a shaft 58 mounted at the lower portion of the column l2. The treadles 46, 48 are normally held in elevated positions by tension springs 52 (only one of which is shown in the drawing), the upper ends of which may be secured to the column in any usual manner. The machine is adapted to operate on shoes and soles on which a relatively quick setting cement such as pyroxylin may be used for initially securing them together in proper positions relatively to each other and also upon shoes and soles on which a substantially instantaneous cement such as rubber cement, latex, or a super-grip cement such, for example, as plastic polymerized chloroprene cement may be used.

Consequently, provision is made for maintaining the pressure on the shoes in some cases by holding the treadles in operated positions without the assistance of an operator, thereby permitting the operator to mount and relatively position a sole and shoe on the other pad before removing the sole and shoe which have been positioned on the first pad. In order to cause each treadle to remain in a depressed position so that the operator may remove his foot without releasing the pressure on the forepart of the shoe, there is provided on an upstanding lug at the base of the column upwardly extending plates 54 having ratchet teeth formed on their forward surfaces. Each treadle is provided with a pawl 56 pivoted on the treadle forwardly of the plates 54 and having a projection or finger thereon for engaging the ratchet teeth on the plate to hold the treadle in depressed position and thus to maintain the pressure on the shoe and sole when an instantaneous cement such as latex or super-grip has been used for permanently attaching the sole to the shoe bottom, these pawls being normally urged in a counterclockwise direction by torsion springs 58 to hold the projections against the ratchet teeth. Each pawl is also provided with a forwardly extending arm which the operator can engage with his foot to release the pawl and thus permit the treadle to be returned to its elevated position by its spring 32. If a quick setting adhesive such as pyroxylin cement has been used on the sole and shoe the operator can hold the pawl away from. the ratchet teeth by engaging the forwardly extending arm with his foot thus permitting the treadle to return to inoperative position immediately so that the operator may remove the shoe at once and place it in the machine which is to apply the sole-attaching pressure.

The mechanism for relatively positioning the sole and shoe on each pad comprises a. resilient metal band 5E preferably composed of spring steel, resting on the top of the pad in the form of a U-shaped loop. The band Bil is secured to the plate It at the forward end of each pad by a small angle piece 62 secured to the band and fastened to the plate by a screw 6 Each band 60 is bent to approximate the peripheral contour of the forepart of a shoe and is maintained in this position by a shaft 66 mounted in a bearing 68 fastened to the plate M, the shaft extending through the opposite side arms of the band. Mounted on the shaft between the bearing 68 and the inner sides of the opposite arms of the band 68 are compression springs H3, 12, the outer ends of which bear against the resilient band and force the opposite side arms of the band away from each other, the inner arm of each band bearing against a pin M in the shaft 66 and the outer arm bearing against an adjustable nut threaded on the outer end of said shaft. By adjusting the nuts 15 on the shafts 66 the side arms of each resilient band 6b can be moved in opposite. directions to widen or narrow the looped portion of the band resting on the pad and thus adapt this portion for accommodating shoes of different sizes.

The portions of each resilient band which extend rearwardly beyond the supporting shaft (38 curve upwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, and at their outer ends have slidably mounted thereon extensions 16, the outer ends of which support a transverse shaft 78. The extensions "it are provided with longitudinal slots 89 through which pass pins 82 secured to the band and carrying wing nuts 84 for locking the extensions against sliding movement on the band after they have been adjusted relatively thereto. Each transverse shaft !8 is arranged to engage the heel portion of a shoe or a sole and shoe mounted on the pad and the adjustment permits the shaft to be raised or lowered for shoes of different sizes or those having different heel heights.

In the operation of the mechanism a shoe A, herein shown as a right shoe, and an outsole B, each having cement, for example, instantaneous cement such as latex or super-grip, applied to the proper surfaces, are mounted on the pad 20, the heel portion of the outsole usually being temporarily secured to the shoe bottom by a tack 86 so that the transverse. shaft 78' supports both the shoe and the sole. The shoe and sole are moved forwardly on the pad into pressure receiving position which is determined by the toe ends of the sole and shoe coming into engagement with the forward end of the looped portion of the resilient band 60. As they are moved forwardly on the pad the sole and shoe engage the inner surface of the band which, being flexible, conforms to the contours of the sole and shoe and in so doing shifts the foreparts of these members until they are in proper alinernent with each other as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, thereby positioning the forepart of the sole relatively to the forepart of the shoe.

In case the heel portion of the sole is not temporarily secured to the shoe bottom, the sole and-shoe, after having cement applied thereto, may be mounted in the device with the rear portion of the sole extending rearwardly under the supporting shaft 18 as shown by the broken lines B in Fig. 2, the foreparts of the shoe and sole being then moved forwardly on the pad 20 into the looped portion of the resilient band to conform the band to the shapes of the sole and shoe and thereby position them relatively to each other while the heel portion of the shoe is supported by the shaft 18.

The operator, after positioning a right sole and shoe as described, depresses the foot treadle 46 associated with the pad 20 to bring the shoe-engaging member 36 against the forepart of the shoe and thus to press the foreparts of the shoe and sole against the pad. Since the treadle is arranged, if desired, to remain depressed by the pawl and ratchet mechanism 54, 56, the operator can remove his foot and mount a left shoe on the pad 22 and apply pressure thereto before releasing the pressure on the right shoe. He then releases the pawl 56 with his foot to elevate the treadle and removes the right shoe with the forepart of its outsole stuck to the shoe bottom and the entire outsole located properly with respect to the shoe bottom. The shoe and sole may then be placed in a sole-attaching machine of any usual type, for example, a multiple press machine where they will receive relatively heavy pressure to cause the cement bond to become permanent.

As stated above in cases where a quick setting cement such as pyroxylin is used the operator, after activating the cement on a right sole and shoe, may introduce them on the pad 20 during which action they will become positioned relatively to each other by the resilient band 60. He then depresses the treadle 45 to apply sufiicient pressure to cause the sole to become preliminarily stuck to the shoe bottom but, since in this case only momentary pressure is desirable in view of the quick setting nature of the cement, he holds his foot on the arm of the pawl 56 thereby preventing the treadle from becoming latched in depressed position and permitting it to return to elevated position immediately so that he can remove the shoe and sole from the machine and mount them in the machine which is to apply the heavy sole-attaching pressure.

It is often desirable to utilize the machine when a quick setting cement such as pyroxylin is used for permanently attaching the sole to the shoe and an instantaneous cement is used for initially holding or spotting the sole and shoe in proper positions while they are being transferred from the positioning machine to the cement sole attaching machine. The pyroxylin cement is applied to the marginal portions of the shoe and sole prior to the locating or spotting operation and, at the same time, a small quantity or spot of instantaneous cement such as latex or super- .grip is applied to the central portion of the forepart of the sole. When the instantaneous cement has become tacky the pyroxylin cement is activated by a solvent and the sole and shoe are introduced and relatively positioned in the machine after which the pressure for spotting the sole and shoe is momentarily applied and immediately released. This will cause the shoe members to adhere sufliciently to each other to retain their relative positions While they are being transferred to the sole-attaching machine. Since the quicksetting cement at the marginal portions of the sole and shoe will'not yet have had time to set, the sole and shoe may be mounted in the soleattaching machine where they will remain under heavy pressure until the quick setting cement has thoroughly set.

If desired the outsole may be introduced alone into the resilient band Bit and be moved forwardly into pressure receiving position to conform the band to the periphery of the forepart of the sole. Since this action determines the position which the shoe must assume when applied to the sole, the shoe may then be mounted directly on the sole without sliding it forwardly to conform the band as described above. In other words, the i band may first be conformed to the periphery of the sole and the shoe may then be placed directly into the band from above without any special care on the part of the operator because the forepart of the shoe will necessarily be located in proper position relatively to the forepart of the sole by engagement with the resilient band surrounding the sole.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for operating on soles and shoes,

the combination of a pad for receiving a sole and shoe, mechanism for applying pressure to the sole and shoe, and means actuated by pressure of the sole and shoe against said means for positioning the sole and shoe relatively to each other. 2. In a machine for operating on soles and shoes, the combination of a pad for receiving a sole and shoe, mechanism for applying pressure to the sole and shoe, and means movable by pressure from the sole and shoe as they are being mounted on the pad for positioning them relatively to each other on said pad.

3. In a machine for operating on soles and shoes, the combination of a pad for receiving a sole and shoe, mechanism for pressing the sole and 0 shoe against each other, and resilient means for engaging the shoe and the edge face of the sole while the shoe and sole are being moved into pressure receiving position on the pad and locating them relatively to each other during such movement.

4. In a machine for operating on soles and shoes, the combination of a yieldable pad for receiving a sole and shoe, mechanism for applying pressure to the sole and shoe, and means conformable to the periphery of the sole in response to pressure therefrom While the sole and shoe are being located on the pad for positioning the sole and shoe relatively to each other.

75 5. In a machine for operating upon soles and shoes, the combination of a yieldable pad for receiving a sole and shoe, mechanism for applying pressure to the sole and shoe, and means surrounding the sole and shoe and movable from pressure exerted thereby for shifting said sole and shoe into proper alinement with each other as they are being moved into operative position on the pad.

6. In a machine for cement attaching soles to shoes, the combination of a pad for supporting a sole and shoe, mechanism for pressing the sole and shoe together on the pad, and flexible means for embracing the edge face of the sole and adjacent portions of the shoe as they are mounted on the pad and for shifting said members into proper alinement with each other, said means being constructed and arranged to surround the foreparts of the sole and shoe and to conform itself to the shape of said fore parts under pressure from the sole and shoe as they are moved relatively to the pad into pressure receiving position.

'7. In a machine for operating on soles and shoes the combination of a yieldable pad for receiving a sole and shoe, a lever for pressing the sole and shoe against the pad, means contacting with the pad arranged to embrace the foreparts of the sole and shoe as they are mounted on the pad and to position said foreparts relatively to each other, and means for operating said lever to press the sole and shoe against the pad.

8. In a machine for operating on Soles and shoes, the combination of a pad for receiving a sole and shoe, mechanism for pressing the sole and shoe on the pad, and a resilient band resting on the pad arranged to engage the sole and shoe and to position them relatively to each other on the pad, said band being adapted to conform to the contours of the sole and shoe and to force the sole and shoe into proper alinement with each other as they are being moved relatively to the pad into pressure receiving position.

9. In a machine for operating on soles and shoes, the combination of a pad for receiving a sole and shoe, mechanism for applying pressure to the sole and shoe, and a flexible member resting on the pad in a U-shaped loop with its open end toward the forward end of the pad for relatively positioning the soles and shoes to be mounted thereon.

10. In a machine for operating on soles and shoes, the combination of a flexible pad for receiving a sole and shoe, mechanism for applying pressure to the sole and shoe, and a resilient U-shaped band resting edgewise on the pad for positioning the sole and shoe relatively to each other, said band having its open end toward the forward end of the pad and being fixed against movement longitudinally of the pad by pressure from the sole and shoe.

11. In a machine for operating on soles and shoes, the combination of a pad for receiving a sole and shoe, mechanism for applying pressure to the sole and shoe, resilient means for engaging the shoe and the edge face of the sole as they are being mounted on the pad and for positioning them relatively to each other, and means for adjusting said resilient means for operating on shoes of different sizes.

12. In a machine for operating on soles and shoes, the combination of a pad for receiving a sole and shoe, mechanism for applying pressure to the sole and shoe, resilient means for engaging the foreparts of the sole and shoe and positioning them relatively to each other as they are being moved into pressure receiving position on the pad, and means on said resilient means for supporting the heel portions of the sole and shoe.

13. In a machine for attaching soles to shoes, the combination of a pad for supporting the foreparts of a sole and shoe, mechanism for pressing the sole and shoe against the pad, a resilient band arranged to surround the foreparts of the sole and shoe on the pad for engaging said foreparts and positioning them relatively to each other as they are moved into pressure receiving position, said band being adapted under pressure from the sole and shoe to conform to the shapes of the foreparts thereof and thereby to force the sole and shoe into proper alinement with each other, mechanism for adjusting the positioning band to accommodate shoes of different sizes, and adjustable means carried by the positioning band for supporting the heel ends of the sole and shoe.

14. In a machine for cement attaching soles to shoes, the combination of a yieldable pad for engaging a sole and shoe, pivoted means for pressing the sole and shoe against the pad, treadle operated mechanism for operating said pivoted means, a resilient band arranged to rest edge- Wise on the pad and flexible lengthwise for engaging the sole and shoe and positioning them relatively to each other on the pad, said band being adapted to conform to the contours of the sole and shoe as they are moved into operative position on the pad and thereby to move the sole and shoe into proper alinement with each other, means for adjusting the band laterally of the pad to accommodate shoes of different sizes, and resilient means for maintaining the band in adjusted position.

ELI BROTHERS. 

